Viewfinder
by ibuzoo
Summary: When Hermione Granger asked photography student Draco Malfoy to help her investigate the recent case of missing Cedric Diggory, she expected him to say no. She didn't expect to end up modelling for him. And she definitely didn't expect to do this naked.
1. Chapter 1

Cedric Diggory vanishes from the parking lot of Ollivander's convenience store on a cold January evening, leaving nothing but a yellow plastic bag with a two liter milk container, a pack of Oreo cookies, a tube of mint toothpaste, and a month's supply of durex invisible ultra skin condoms. The surveillance camera shows nothing except the impossible: one minute he is there, and the next he isn't. Only the plastic bag lies forgotten on the dirty street.

The rumours are on fire.

Some say he was kidnapped by the Russian mafia because he had debts to pay off.

Some say he dropped out of college because of his father's high expectations and started working as a stripper down in Leeds.

Some say he was in jail because he violated a restraint order from his ex girlfriend that alleged him of being a stalker that crept into her bedroom at night.

Rumours, rumours, and more rumours, that only get extra incredulous as time passes.

Hermione believes exactly none of them.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Star Quarterback's Disappearance Still an Open Case of Unanswered Questions**_

 _Rita Skeeter_

 _City Editor_

 _Dead, alive, kidnapped? These questions still remain unanswered two months after Cedric Diggory's disappearance. The nineteen-year-old Diggory was last seen at 9:30 p.m. on the 23rd January when he was in the parking lot of Ollivander's convenience store. Officers are very concerned as no traces have been found yet, and he has not contacted friends or family. While the police search continues, his father said his son hadn't been acting strange when he last saw him and there was nothing missing out of his room. Cedric, above pictured, was wearing a black sweater, jeans, and a yellow cardigan. Anyone with information should contact Police Det. James Potter on -_

* * *

"So your father has no new leads?" Hermione asks as they get into Harry's car and leave the loud chatter of Florean Fortescue and White-Chocolate-Mocha-orders behind. After nearly thirty minutes in line to get three small cups of coffee it felt like a blessing to be sitting in the passenger seat.

Harry sighs solemnly. "Nothing useful at least. It doesn't help that he asks me every other day if I've heard something. You know, because we are on the same team."

"Were," Ron corrects from the backseat, balancing his coffee in one hand and a large strawberry ice cream cone in the other. He licks a large way through the cream. "I don't think he's coming back. Although I really want to know what he's doing now. Or if any of the rumours are true. I bet a fifty with George that the gay club rumour is true."

The car hits a pothole and the movement is harsh enough to jerk them all. Thankfully, Ron doesn't drop the ice cream. Soon the car is filled with Ron and Harry's theories, each one more far-fetched than the last.

"Did it ever occur to you that he might have been the victim?" Hermione asks, preoccupied with her thoughts. She folds the paper of the _Daily Prophet_ , Hogwarts' own university newspaper, and irons it out again. On the paper, the picture of a smiling Cedric looks innocent enough.

Harry flinches visibly and Ron jerks hard enough to eventually smear the ice cream on his shirt.

"Sorry," Ron mumbles after a while and tries to rub the soft pink spot away with the coffee cup still in his hand. Harry rests silent.

"No, you're right," Hermione says, throwing a fast glance into the mirror to look at Ron before she looks out on the street again. She could see the outskirts of Hogwarts University on the horizon. "I don't think he's coming back either."


	3. Chapter 3

The second thing she spots is a large poster in one of the corners that reads ' _Come as a clown and eat like a king!_ ' in black Sharpie written right under the Burger King logo, right after a big, fat ' _Sold_ ' sticker over the advertisement for some Chili Cheese Nuggets. The guy in front of her orders five cheeseburgers and a paper crown that he puts on his shaggy head before he retreats to one of the benches to eat in silence. He's the only other customer here this late and she wonders what it says about her.

Hermione's not a frequent visitor. She has read somewhere that you're only supposed to have fast food once every couple of months, if any at all. But, she's hungry, the fridge in her dorm is spectacularly empty, and this is the next best option unless she wants to have another dinner of rice cakes and dry cookies. Besides, being hungry makes her grumpy and she still has to finish that thesis for professor Flitwick and the reading for professor McGonagall's next class and-

"Miss?"

When she looks up the cashier behind the register looks as tired as her bones feel.

"Sorry. I'll have the Caesar salad and a Vanilla Milkshake please." She hands over the money in coins and waits for the cashier to return with her order, neatly packed in a small brown paper bag. She takes it, offers him a small smile and a "Have a nice evening" before she turns around, ready to go home.

Of all the things that could have happened after an exhausting Friday with more more homework than she bargained for, she never expected Draco Malfoy of all people to walk through the main doors of the small Burger King at 00:23 as if he owned it. The fluorescent lights paint his already fair hair in a whitish shade that makes him look more ghost than human being. He looks tired. The sharp slope of his nose moves every time his brows knit together. He's constantly pushing buttons on his smartphone, not looking up and Hermione is grateful for the opportunity to slide past him unnoticed. She's half around him already, as it happens; he looks up.

Something lethal creeps up his face and his lips curl up into a delighted smile. "What a surprise. Wouldn't have picked you for a fast food girl, Granger. Aren't you all broccoli and flax seeds these days?"

"I could ask you the same. Was the lobster out tonight?"

"The lobster's fine, thank you. Some days I just prefer the bourgeoise kitchen. But say, isn't it a bit late for someone like you? Didn't your curfew start a few hours ago?"

She scoffs, unaffected. "What would you know about my curfew."

"You could show me."

"Not today." There is an expression that she wears for Draco and for no other. It is something between a sneer and a disgusted mask that looks confused on most days and desperate on others. She's not quite sure what face she's making right now but it's enough to make him smirk, sharp like a knife. She already dreads what is about to come.

"Is that an offer for another time? I'm free this week," Draco says, and as if to emphasize his words, adds a wink.

She wishes she could just wipe that grin off his face. Preferably with her fist. But, violence has never been the answer so she settles with pressing her lips firmly together, biting them on the inside. Then she starts walking towards the door without dignifying him with an answer.

"Oh, and Granger?"

She's still walking and trying to ignore him and she's already opening the glass door but then -

"If you ever get tired of biting your lips, I'd love to do it for you."

She hurries out of the restaurant before he can say any other word. When she turns around to steal a glance back inside, he's already typing on his phone again, lips are drawn into a smug half-smile.

His words follows her home, long after the milkshake is warm and the salad box is empty. But his smile follows her even longer.

Bastard.


End file.
